Alternative program helps parents of autistic girl

CARLSBAD >> Searching for autism treatment can be a daunting task, especially for parents who had never heard of autism before their daughter's diagnosis.

This was the situation faced by Carlsbad residents Clyde and Claudia Galloway when their daughter, Candace Galloway, 15, was diagnosed with severe autism at the age of two.

"It hurt. It hurt us both bad," said Clyde Galloway.

The couple sought help for Candace Galloway through the school system and programs throughout the state, but said Candace did not respond well to traditional methods such as picture exchange, where the non-verbal Candace was expected to use pictures to communicate what she wanted.

Then, the Galloways heard about the Son-Rise program through an acquaintance.

The Son-Rise Program was created in 1974 by Barry Neil Kaufman and Samahria Lyte Kaufman for their own son, and is run through the Autism Treatment Center of America, according to the program's promotional material.

The Kaufmans developed the program, which focuses on one-on-one interaction, through working with their own autistic son.

The program differs from typical autism treatment in that it directs the parent or guardian to enter the world of the child, instead of using behavior modification to get the child to act like the adult.

"Instead of forcing him to behave, we decided to cross his bridge and join his behaviors," Samahriah Lyte Kaufman said in a promotional video.

The Galloways said they have seen marked improvement in Candace's behavior since they began traveling to Massachusetts to participate in the program in 2008.

"She is a lot calmer and minds better," said Clyde Galloway. "I've been up there eight times now, for different programs."

The Galloways also noticed a decrease in "meltdowns" and an increase in Candace's use of singular words.

The Galloways have implemented these strategies into everyday life with Candace.

Clyde and Claudia Galloway take turns spending time with Candace in a special playroom they made for her, which is filled with giant legos, puzzles and other toys.

"Instead of just coming home and watching TV, now one of us is in the room with her playing," Clyde Galloway said.

Claudia said they make special effort to make eye contact with Candace, while telling her positive reinforcements, such as "You have pretty eyes."

One of the biggest takeaways the Galloways had from the program was to love their daughter and be patient with some of her behaviors.

"What we show to her, she kind of reflects back at us," Clyde Galloway said. "If we show a lot of love, and have patience, we start seeing that within our kid."

The Galloways are optimistic about further improvements in Candace's behavior, and are planning a ninth trip to Massachusetts in April.

Though there is currently no cure for autism, according to the National Autism Association's website, autism symptoms can be greatly improved and "in some cases completely overcome" with early intervention and treatment.

The Galloways are quick to tell other parents of autistic children about the program that they feel has helped their daughter so much.

"They're all going through the same thing," Clyde Galloway said. "Everybody wants to know what to do."